GETTING SOME FRESH AIR
There has never been a more perfect time to give your spice cabinet a makeover. Without spices and dried herbs, our meals would be bland and flavorless. These everyday pantry staples have the ability to transform any dish into a delicious and unforgettable meal. To get the most out of your spice cabinet, here are a few simple tips.
Store spices and dried herbs in a cool, dark and dry place. The heat from a stove top or oven, as well as moisture, can shorten their shelf life.
Buy small containers of spices you don’t use that often. Costco is not the place for home cooks to stock up on spices. Many stores, such as Whole Foods, now sell some spices in 1-ounce or less packages.
Label the date you open the spice with a marker. Most spices last for one year if stored properly. Let taste and smell be your guidelines as to whether they have lost their flavor.
Pick the right kind of salt. Kosher salt is my recommendation for cooking. Table salt has additives that affect how it flavors food in the cooking process. Whereas sea salt is a pure product like
kosher salt, sea salt is not worth the extra expense in my opinion.
Buy a pepper mill. Freshly ground pepper tastes far better than preground pepper. Tellicherry peppercorns are my go-to for my pepper mill.
Keep your spice cabinet organized. I keep my spices organized in alphabetical order.
Stock up on the basics. Dried herbs like thyme, oregano and basil and dried spices like cumin, cinnamon, chili powder and paprika are some of the most commonly called for spices in recipes.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com, and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.
Donnie Akins enjoys a walk through Hadley Park in Nashville on Monday.